Refrigeration system



May 27, 1958 w. H. CARPENTER ETAL 2,836,037

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 7, 1955 I N VEN TORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT VEYS May 27, 1958 w. H.'CARPENTER Erm.

REFRIGERATION SYSTEM- Filed Feb. 7, 1955 MAF,

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United States nnFnrGERATIoN SYSTEM Walter H. Carpenter and Walter L. Mingledorlf, Jr.,

Savannah, Ga., assignors to Mingledorffs, lne., Savannah, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application February 7, 1955, Serial No. 486,483

Claims. (Cl. 62-4) This invention relates to refrigeration systems, and in particular to a compact refrigeration system and component equipment designed primarily for installation on fishing vessels, on which it is necessary to store the catch while the vessel is at sea, More particularly, the invention relates to refrigeration systems for use on shrimp boats, where it is necessary to store the shrimp catch for extended periods without deterioration or spoilage.

ln shrimp fishing, it is becoming necessary for the lishing boats to stay out at sea for longer and longer periods the off-shore banks become exhausted, and operations must be extended over greater distances. At the present time it has become necessary for fishermen to stay out for as long as three or four weeks, or even longer. In order to prevent spoilage, the shrimp must be frozen for storage. By methods presently in use, the shrimp are packaged and frozen, the packages are then reopened and the product glazed with fresh water, and then refrozen. These conventional operations involve movement of crew members into and out of the freezing chamber, and about fourteen hours is required to freeze a five pound package ma om Vof shrimp.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a compact refrigeration apparatus which may be readily installed Vaboard a boat, and which is capable of rapidly lowering and maintaining low the temperature of a freezing medium, in which shrimp may be frozen and glazed without sticking to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigeration apparatus capable of freezing a large quantity of shrimp simultaneously, to such a W temperature that they may be safely stored in a separate hold for the duration of the voyage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shrimp freezing apparatus having unusually large capacity for short periods of time.

Yet another object is to provide `a refrigeration apparatus including automatic safety means, operative to shut down the power source thereof in the event of a cooling water failure, or in the event of a rise in pressure in the system above a predetermined value.

A particular object of the invention is to provide novel basket means for holding the shrimp as they are being frozen. Further objects will be in part evident and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clearl from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the mechanical portion of an exemplary embodiment of the system;

Figure 1B is a continuation of Figure 1A, illustrating the freezing tank and associated elements;

Figure 2 is a detailed illustration of the novel freezing Ibasket employed in the invention, and

Figure 3 illustrates details of the safety shut-0E mech- ',anism for the diesel engine powering the mech- 'respective water lines.

2,836,637 Patented May 27, 1958 prises a compressor 1 in which a suitable refrigerant such as Freon is compressed. The compressor is driven by a diesel engineZ, to which it is coupled by means of coupling 3. Compressed hot refrigerant gas is conducted from compressor head 4 by pipe 5 to an oil trap 6, and from the oil trap by pipe 7 to the condenser 8, where it is cooled and liquied. The liquied refrigerant, under pressure, is carried by pipe 9 to receiver 10, from which it then flows through line 11 to expansion valve 12. Line 11 may be provided with line stop valves 13 and 14, to facilitate starting and shutting down the system. Cold evaporated refrigerant passes from the expansion valve 12 through line 15 to distributing manifold 16 and then, by means of tubes 17, to a number of Dole plates 1S mounted in one section of freezing tank 19. These Dole plates are well known in the refrigeration art, and consist essentiallyv of sealed plates containing coils (not shown) and a freezing medium. Refrigerant circulates through the coils in the conventional manner. By immersing the coils in the freezing medium inside the plates, greater contact between the coils and the external freezing medium in the tank is achieved. Exhausted refrigerant is collected in return manifold by means of tubes 23 from Dole plates 18, and then conducted by return line 21 back to compressor 1, from where it is then started on another refrigeration cycle. Return line 21 is provided with line stop valve 22.

Freezing tank 19 consists essentially of an insulated tank containing a freezing solution 24, to be described in greater detail below. The tank'is provided With a partition 25 which separates the former into two compartments 26 and 27. Compartment 27 contains the Dole plates and compartment 26 contains a number of guide rails 23 mounted vertically on the side of the tank and on the partition 25. These rails serve to hold the freezing baskets 29 immersed in the freezing medium, while horizontal stop brackets 30 limit the depth to which the baskets are immersed, thereby permitting easy removal from the freezing tank.

To circulate the freezing medium in tank 19, there is provided a propeller 31 driven by pulley 32 and belt 33 by means of hydraulic motor 34. The-hydraulic motor is operated by means of hydraulic pump 35 which is coupled by means of coupling 36 to diesel engine 2. Oil under pressure flows through line 37 to the hydraulic motor 34 and is returned to reservoir 38 by means of line 39. A line 40 connects the hydraulic reservoir 38 with pump 35, thus completing the circuit. A by-pass valve 41 connects hydraulic lines 37 and 39, Vpermitting control of the speed of motor 34, and also permitting the motor to be stopped while the compressor is running. The propeller 31, as will be evident is mounted in a passage through the partition 25, and the opposite end of the partition terminates short of the tank wall, whereby the freezing medium maybe circulated bythe propeller from compartment 26 to compartment 27, and may return from compartment 27 to compartment 26 between the opposite end ofthe partition and the adjacent tank wall.

A novel feature of the invention comprises the threeway cooling system, permitting not only economy of space and equipment, but also providing an opportunity for ndirectly utilizing the cooling system as a safety control over the entire system, as will be described in greater detail below. Y

The novel three-way cooling system comprises a single water pump 42 driven by the means of belt 43 and pulley 44 mounted on compressor shaft 45. Pump 42 draws sea water through pipe 46 and distributes it to the condenser 8, compressor head 4, and diesel engine cooling system 53 by means of pipes 47, 48 and 49, respectively. Valves 50, 51 and 52 are provided to control the flow of water in the Pipes v64 and 65 carry exhaust -water overboard froml the condenser and compressor,.re-V

spectively.

Y As a safety means, Vand jto protect'the apparatus of the system, the air intake pipe 54 of the diesel engine is provided withfaflbuttery 'ValVeSS', rigidly mounted inside Vfpil'ne'l l on Jr'otatablershaft 56. Aleverarm =57is "rigidly -s'eeured to'jtheY end of shaft 556,':and is connected -atone Aof*itszends.tonne end'otlspring Selby/'means of pingen A"TheV other end fof spring' 5S is securedto the'engine block i :by means of` pin 60.v Asiwill be evident fromFigure 3,

Yspring 58 Iwould normally .keep butterfly Yvalve 55 in a -closedfpositiom permitting no air .to the'engine cylinders. In order to keep the ,fairintakeopenfor'operation,a trig- 4-gerrod 61 engageslever arm-57 in va vertical position and bolts V87 and-isjkept'from moving means of armature 62 of VAsolenoid 637also'rnounted onthe engine block.; jAs

long'asesolenoid'63 remains unergized,armature62` is held Y .QnewireS-fromssolenoid 63Vis connectedto one side of guidesSSfand -86 mounted onthefengine bymeans of ofaf'low'voltage Ysource by direct current, such as diesel starting batteryF7Z. `The other lead 69 from the solenoid is connected, to one terminalof a conventional pressure responsive normally open Vswitch 70, mounted at any con-` venieritpointlon thefapparatus. TheV second terminal of Vsw'itch'70 isconnected by meansV ofrwire 71 to the other side of`battery'72. A tube 73 connectsswitch 70 to pipe 5 coming fromrthehighpressure'side of compressor 1. Switch 70`is adjusted to `remain open as long as the pres- -sure in the ccnnpressor head remains below a predetermined value. [In theevent of an undue rise in pressure, this `excess pressure, which is communicated bymeans of `tube I3 to switch .70, closes the switchnd energizes the solenoid. The creation of a magnetic lield in the solenoid :causes armature 6 2 tobe retracted, releasing trigger 61. VSpring 58 thereupon pulls butte'y valve '55 into the shut fpositonndicated by dottedlineSSd, and shuts votfithe isupply vofrair tothe diesel engine, stopping thelatter.v A'rrl'he y.advantages of the labove-,dascribed arrangement will be apparent from the following c ns iderations".Y Two kseparate factors may'cause an abnormal rise in headpre's- Asure, a failure ofthe-Water'supply used for cooling the compressor, Vor anfjaccumulationof trashnorscale in the condeser tubes.' Whenj this occurs',.the` pressure responsive switch closes, energizing the vsolenoid and'shuttingdown the entire system.

Anothernovel feature ofthe 'inventionis the construction of the Ybaskets for holding the shrimp'while they are being frozen. Each'basket comprises a framework of flat 'stainless steelbars 74 securedto one another by welding *or -in any other suitablemannenj The four sides` and bottom of the basket are preferably made of 1/2 inch mesh stainless steelV expandedY metal,` and areperrnanently secured to theframe 'in any suitable manner. 1A cover 75 P--made Vvor' Va -rectangularframe lof stainless steel'rods 76 covered v.with Vexpanded'metalris hinged to one upper edge 77`of the vertical sides-by'means of hinges 78V, sc curedto the-upper edge in any suitable manner, as by welding,

iriveting or bolting yCover `76/is `coextensiver with*and Y completely covers the open top Vof the basket. flhei basket 1s further provided with a Ypair of Yspecially designed handles 779. Thelatter are rotatably 'mounted on opposite Yuppe'r edges of the vertical sides by means, of; hinges v8l),

. into the above described f fre'ezing baskets,-which 4are Vabout* 181/4 inches long,` 10% Yimplies wide, and 20 Vinches deep. A basket Yof'these dimensionsr will hold about 50 pounds when h'alffull. `The shrimpare'washed, andV then S1 and, opposite the gripping-portion :and parallel to it, aV

pair of short portions ,82, whichpass through hinges 80.

Extensions g3 on the portions SZconstitute .stop mem- Y bers, and are set insuch afdirection that, when the handle is dropped into the basket, stops 83 come to rest againstV the inner surface of the vertical side and leave gripping portion S1 extended juist below the open top and in a plane substantially parallelrtherewith.V The handlesthus do not interfere with' theclosing Lofc'over 75 and at the same time Vobviate the necessity Vof reaching down'deep into the basket .to kgrasp the lhandles when it is desired tocarry it with th'ecover-open.; fFurthermore, the novelY construction of the handles permits swinging them completely `outward -and then lvclosing the cover. It is then possible to earry'thebasket closed. Thus, with the'han-V dlesremaining outside, stops 83 come to rest against the closed cover and keep the handles erect. This is Vadvantageous when lowering the basket into and remov-V ing it from the freezing tank, and-thelstops 83. serve to keep the closed cover .from rising'under thelupward pres.-

sure of oating shimp.:V In positioning the baskets in the 1 tank, the handlesare-disposed between the guides 128,.so .Y

` areerect with the :stops `83 'holding the cover` closed, and

the basket is Vpositioned in thetank, the offset dispose's the gripping portionsaway 'from' the fsides. of the tank,` and .permits easy grasp `of the handles by Yinserting the lingers betweenthe gripping Yportions 81 and the walls. f

In aspecilic yembodiment of the invention, the refrigeration unit may be located inthe engine room of the fishing boat, with the freezing tank located on deck.V -Al- A ternatively, the Yrefrigeration yunit may be located .inY theV cargo hold, and the freezing tank in the deck house. YThe Ainsulated tank is made of stainless steel, and may be aboutl 6" wide,V V7 4l0" long, Aand 4"highvin overall i dimensions, and is provided with an steel cover (not shown). 'The refrigeration unit VV'may mover. With 'a matching compressorpthefeezing medium inthe tank can be easily-cooledtoand ,maintained Y at a temperature of about 0 A, particularly advantageous solution comprises about 750 pounds of glucose,

preferably -cerel0se 'or commercial dextrose, 'and Vabout 750 pounds of line tablezsal't in 3`7 5.gallonsrof waterQ The l fsolution' maybe made up 'by rstV dissolving substantially all of the sugar Vin the vwater at room'temperature. There-V after, the .salt may beaddedand YcompletelyV dissolved in the sugar solution. In these proportions, the solution will not freeze at :0 F. Ithasbeen found that shrimp, Y

when dipped 'into` this-solution rwhen-'cold and agitated,

V.freeze/solid in from five to Vsix minutes,V although inpr'ac- Y .In actual practice,' thejshr imp are headed andi'thenY put immersed in the jfreezing tank with. the solution at .a

temperature of from 0 'to l5 F.' .ygnitiallymoving the .Y

utes, the baskets witl1`theV frozenshrimp are removedV insulated stainless v.

be powered by -a 'stand` ard diesel Vengine ofsuitable capacity, orY other prime from the freezing solution and emptied into any suitable container, in which the shrimp may -be stored in the cargo hold or other stonge room. Once treated in the described manner, the shrimp need not be touched for the remainder of the trip and will keep in storage for ninety days or longer. The freezing tank being 1ocated outside thereof, movement of the crew into and out of refrigerated spaces is entirely avoided.

In the manner described above, the compact apparatus described is capable of freezing 150 to 300 pounds of shrimp per hour continuously over long periods of time depending on the refrigerating capacity of the com pressor. The use of the freezing plates 18 is particularly advantageous, in that the freezing medium may be soliditied on and between the plates, to store up large quantities of refrigeration. The freezing medium described, for example, will solidify at a temperature slightly below 0 F. An unexpected and highly advantageous advantage of the solution previously described is that it will solidify without precipitation of the solid, and liquify again at substantially the same temperature at which it solidiiies. The solution may be frozen and melted repeatedly, without altering its chemical and physical structure.

1n fishing for shrimp, there are normally extended periods in which there are no shrimp to be frozen. During these periods, the apparatus may be operated, with a moderate amount of circulation of freezing medium. In approximately ten hours the bulk of the sprace between the plates may be in such manner filled with solidied medium. Under these circumstances, 700 or 800 pounds of shrimp may be frozen in one hour, without completely melting the solidified medium on the plates, the temperature of the liquid medium rising lto about F. as each load (normally 200 pounds) of shrimp i-s immersed, but quickly recovering to about 0 F. ln this manner the relatively small and compact apparatus may be operated continuously to effect great freezing capacity for short periods of time, as is normally required.

lt will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

l. A refrigeration system comprising a refrigerant compressor, a motor driving said compressor, a condenser connected to the output side of the compressor for cooling and condensing the compressed refrigerant, a single pump operated by said motor connected to and supplying cooling water to both said compressor and said condenser, a tank containing a cooling medium, heat exchange means carrying refrigerant immersed in said cooling medium and connected to said condenser and said compressor, and means fr circulating the cooling medium in the tank in contact with the immersed heat exchange means.

2. A refrigeration system es defined in claim l, including pressure-responsive safety means connected to the high pressure side of said compressor adapted to shut off said motor when the compressor pressure rises above a predetermined limit.

3. A refrigeration system comprising a refrigerant cornpressor, a diesel engine driving said compressor, a condenser connected to the output side of the compressor for cooling and condensing the compressed refrigerant, a single pump operated by the diesel engine connected to and supplying cooling Water to said compressor, condenser and the cooling system of said diesel engine, a tank containing a cooling medium, heat exchange means carrying refrigerant immersed in said cooling medium and connected to said condenser and said compressor, and means for circulating the cooling medium in the tank in contact with the immersed heat exchange means.

4. A refrigeration system as defined in claim 3, including pressure-responsive safety means connected to the high pressure side of said compressor adapted to shut od said diesel engine when the compressor pressure rises above a predetermined limit.

5. A refrigeration system as defined in claim 4, wherein said safety means includes a normally open pressureresponsive switch in communication with the high pressure side of said compressor, a solenoid in circuit with said switch, a normally open valve in the air intake line of said diesel engine, and a mechanical connection between said solenoid and said valve, a rise in pressure in the compressor above a predetermined limit being effective to close said switch and actuate said solenoid, whereby said valve is closed and the engine shut off.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,388,295 Peterson Aug. 23, 1921 1,942,307 Rech Jan. 2, 1934 2,117,505 Reinhardt May 17, 1938 2,205,259 Harbison June 18, 1940 2,211,153 Noyes Aug. 13, 1940 2,284,798 Boose June 2, 1942 2,304,860 Taylor Dec. 15, 1942 2,436,426 Fish Feb. 24, 1948 2,512,066 Lenifor June 20, 1950 2,538,015 Kleist Ian. 16, 1951 2,538,016 Kleist Ian. 16, 1951 2,613,847 Lacher Oct. 14, 1952 2,614,403 Heise Oct. 21, 1952 2,674,101 Calling Apr. 6, 1954 2,746,272 Carpenter May 22, 1956 2,766,598 Amiot Oct. 16, 1956 

